“The high-scoring left wing’s agent Jay Grossman, Devils GM Lou Lamoriello and chairman Jeff Vanderbeek were seen in the NHL’s office Monday, according to a league source.”

Kovalchuk was the NHL’s top free agent this year with 338 goals in 642 career games.

What is obvious is that the Devils will have to take a bigger cap hit if they reach a new and probably shorter deal in terms of duration with the 27-year-old Kovalchuk.

Under the deal that was voided by the league, Kovalchuk would have only counted for $6 million annually against the cap. The lower cap value resulted because he would have been paid just $550,000 in each of the last five years of the contract.

If he re-signs with New Jersey, there is a chance the team might have to move some players to make room for him.